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Falconia
is the capital of Midland, situated near the foot of the World Spiral Tree atop the land where Wyndham once sat. The utopian city surfaces as if from thin air following the Great Roar of the Astral World, and serves as the sole safe haven for humanity in Fantasia. It was revealed by Great Guru Gedfring that Falconia is in fact Emperor Gaiseric's sunken capital city of yore risen anew. Layout Lower City Consisting of bustling streets and lively citizens, the lower city is home to the majority of Falconians, where they perform their day-to-day functions. The architectural style of buildings is noticeably ; throughout the city, there are at least two classical temple-like buildings, and even a coliseum landmark. Falcon's Castle The Falcon's Castle is where Griffith and his most important confidants reside. Funeral rites are held in this area, and it is here where His Holiness the pontiff can usually be found. As Griffith's fiancée, Princess Charlotte naturally lives alongside her betrothed within the castle; she is responsible for gathering and cultivating all the flowers of the world in the castle's garden. Playing into Griffith's avian theme, the Falcon's Castle bears an architectural style markedly divergent from the classical style found in the lower city, structured to resemble the visage and wings of a falcon in flight; furthermore, a large cast of birds of prey can be witnessed in constant flight near the avian structure of the castle. Solidly built bridges of incredible magnitude and constitution allow coaches of citizens from the lower city to travel up to the castle en masse. The Falcon's Castle is guarded by the Castle Guard, headed by General Owen, and comprised of rank and file from the Band of the Falcon. Pandemonium Most apostles serving as protectors of Falconia reside behind the city, in a massive dome-shaped domain known as "Pandemonium". There, monsters captured from the lands beyond the safety of the capital city are pit against bloodthirsty apostles in an amphitheater, all while other clamorous reincarnates watch and cheer on from the stands. Culture As the sole safe haven for humanity in Fantasia, Falconia is home to many unique cultures, and a wide variety of traditions and values. Such sudden diversity has seen marked tension between the differing peoples of the city. In the residential district of former Wyndham citizens, public safety is stable, and policies taken from the former capital city have been successfully implemented. Conversely, crime rates are increasingly high in those districts occupied by immigrants and refugees. Despite these tensions, all in Falconia are united by one shared sentiment: their admiration for the spectacles of the Falcon of Light Griffith. The empowerment of its people is a novel pursuit of Falconia's. All children, even orphans, in Falconia will be taken care of for ten years, during which they will be taught reading and writing, and educated in various other subjects. In particular, they will be taught values and solidarity, and instilled with the sentiment of belonging to the nation. It is so stark a deviation from the norm of nations of old, that some ministers have openly contested it, fearing that such an empowerment of the people may bring about the end of the class system as they know it. Griffith notes that so long as the people are allowed to prosper, they will in turn be the backbone of the nation. Religion Holy See doctrine has remained the preeminent religion of the land, openly backed by Griffith. His Holiness the pontiff presides over funeral rites, Princess Charlotte attends to pay her respects, and Griffith conducts communion by manifesting the souls of the dead. Despite the Holy See having religious authority in Falconia, the residential districts of foreign refugees have seen a rise in heretical sects. Economy Having never properly recovered from its Hundred-Year War with Tudor, Midland already operated under a strained budget. Owing to the national emergency sparked by the Kushan invasion, Midland's economy has temporarily collapsed, leaving Falconia with little balance left to expend. Furthermore, the recent influx of refugees have found much trouble in finding sustainable living wages, adding to the already high tensions between differing peoples. Some ministers in Falconia are against investing in quality of life improvements for the people quite yet, deeming them to be of peripheral importance. Griffith, however, is of the opposite opinion, believing that, despite its current economic status, Falconia should nonetheless strive to prosper rather than cope. He has suggested that all avenues of potential economic prosperity be earnestly researched and pursued, be it architectural, mechanical, agricultural, or logistical. Guilds With consideration of individuals' abilities and aspirations, Falconians are issued recommendations to join various guilds within the city upon going through the refugee processing station. Guilds are situated in different areas across Falconia. The only two known guilds as of now are the Guild of Smiths and Craftsmen and the Band of the Falcon army. Military and Law Enforcement The Band of the Falcon is Falconia's primary military force and law enforcement agency (as a military police). Alongside apostles, the standing human force of the band is comprised of soldiers and mercenaries from noble families alone. Griffith notes that if things continue as they are, in five to ten years' time, the band will find itself shorthanded. He and Locus have proposed the admission of refugees into the band as a solution to the aforementioned, the growing tensions between differing peoples of Falconia, and the socio-economic problems faced by many refugees (serving as a foundation from which new soldiers can create their own wealth). Ten years will amount to a term of military service. Soldiers that complete a term will be granted citizenship for themselves and their family, and offered residence in a domestic location of their choosing. Rather than stationing a large count of soldiers on border walls, troops will be rapidly deployed through an extensive network of interconnected territories; it is believed this method will decrease the current costs of deployments upon implementation. New soldiers, as military engineers, will be tasked with building and repairing highways beyond Falconia, as well as with the construction and maintenance of bases, fortresses, and citadels on reclaimed lands. From initial bases and highways, the military will continue expanding outward, building towns, cities, extensive traffic networks, and various cultural landmarks along the way. Agriculture Food is cultivated on the land immediately beyond the wall of Falconia, where farmers, and by extension the capital city in general, are protected by wing stones, which ward off monsters. Harvest season seemingly never ends and flowers, trees, and grains grow plentiful. Falconians believe the fertile land to be a blessing provided by the World Spiral Tree. Notes * Falconia is sometimes still referred to as Wyndham by some. * Both Foss and Rickert have likened Falconia to Gaiseric's sunken capital city, a supposition confirmed to be true by Great Guru Gedfring. ** However, Foss corrects himself, noting that Falconia is too large and majestic in nature to be within the scope of human construction, whereas Gaiseric's legendary city is said to have specifically been man-made. References es:Falconia Category:Locations